Sundance Primer: Skateland

Welcome to a new series here at Cinematical where we'll shine a spotlight on different films premiering at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival later this month.

With 16 diverse films vying for attention, the Dramatic Competition category at Sundance is always full of surprises. This year's selections have titles that grab the eye -- Douchebag, happythankyoumoreplease, The Imperialists Are Still Alive! -- plus a few that seem "ordinary" until you look closer. One of those is Skateland, the first feature from director Anthony Burns, co-written by him and brothers Brandon and Heath Freeman. We asked Burns a few questions about movie, and he gave us some straightforward answers.
Cinematical: Give us the "dude on the street" description of your film.
Anthony Burns: Early 1980s. Small-town Texas. Dramatic events force a 19 year-old roller skating rink manager to look at his life in a very new way.

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Cinematical: What was the best thing about shooting a film set in the '80s?

AB: Re-creating the style of the '80s and revisiting and listening to the great music of that time.

Cinematical: What's the first non film-related thing you're going to do once you get to Sundance?

AB: Ski...

Coincidentally, the film's title is similar to Adventureland, the comedy from 2008 about a young man working at an amusement park. Skateland sounds a little more serious, though still steeped in nostalgia for the glory days -- not to mention the fashions and hairstyles -- of youth.

Want more on Skateland? Check out the film's video profile below, courtesy of the Sundance Film Festival.